The European Commission published on 20 November the second edition of the "EU Transport Scoreboard", which compares how Member States perform in 29 transport categories. The objective of the Scoreboard is to help Member States identify areas requiring priority investments and actions, in order to create a Single European Transport Area with high standards, notably in terms of sustainability. This is seen as essential to the deepening of the internal market and to the shift towards a low-carbon economy, two priorities of the Commission.

The 2015 edition of the EU Transport Scoreboard compares EU Member State performance in 29 transport-related categories and highlights the five top and bottom performers in each of these categories. As of this year, it is also possible to track Member State progress over time.

The scoreboard can be consulted either by country or by one of the following categories:Internal Market: One of the Commission's priorities is to create a deeper and fairer internal market. This category includes indicators such as the market share of rail undertakings competing with the main operator and the employment share in high growth transport enterprises. It also includes the number of pending court cases for an alleged infringement of EU law and the state of transposition of EU transport directives.

Investments and infrastructure: Investment in transport infrastructure has a huge potential in boosting growth and jobs. Member State performance is measured here in indicators such as the perceived quality of transport infrastructure and progress towards completion of the TEN-T core network.Energy Union and innovation: Transport accounts for 24% of all greenhouse gas emissions and for 32% of all energy used in Europe. Research and innovation are key to progress in this area. Member State performance is shown for example in the share of renewable energy in transport fuel consumption and private expenditure in research and development.People: The Commission works towards safe, available and affordable transport for everyone. This category includes indicators on road and rail safety, as well as customer satisfaction with urban, rail and air transport. It also highlights the percentage of women employed in the transport sector.

How are EU Member States performing?

In Austria, the share of renewable energy in transport fuel consumption is the third highest in the EU.Its road safety score has improved and now corresponds to the EU average.

The quality of Belgium's port infrastructure is rated very positively, putting Belgium in third place EU-wide. The infrastructure for the other modes of transport is also rated highly. It has room for improvement as regards its road safety score.

Bulgaria has a high share of electrified railways, over 71%, and its total share of renewable energy in fuel consumption for transport corresponds to the EU average. However, it is among the Member States with the highest number of road fatalities in Europe.

Croatia scores 100% in the number of transport related directives transposed into national law, bringing it to the top of the ranking. The average time it takes to import and export goods by sea can be expected to improve with further progress in completing the TEN-T core network.

Cyprus has no rail network, so several indicators of the scoreboard do not apply to it. It has the highest percentage of women working in transport in the EU (32%). However, there is a relatively high number of court cases because of alleged infringements of EU law pending, especially in the road sector.

The Czech Republic scores highly in the share of women employed in transport, taking the second place in the EU. Competition both in the freight and passengers' rail markethas grown considerably in recent years.

Drivers in Denmark spend less time in traffic jams than anywhere else in the EU. The share of renewable energy in transport fuel consumption is above EU average and rising. The average time it takes to import and export goods into and out of Denmark by sea is amongst the shortest EU-wide (5.5 days).

Estonia and Denmark share the title of the EU's top performer as regards the average time to import and export goods by sea. Estonia receives relatively low ratings for its transport infrastructure apart from its port infrastructure, which is rated positively.

Finland's quality of rail, port and air infrastructure is rated second best in the entire EU. Ratings for its road infrastructure have deteriorated slightly. The share of employment in quickly growing transport enterprises in Finland has increased significantly in recent years.

France is rated highly for its road and railroad infrastructure, and the share of renewable energy in transport fuel consumption is high. Private expenditure in research and development is the second highest in the EU. However, the number of newly registered cars using alternative fuels is relatively low.

Germany gets high ratings for its transport infrastructure for all means of transport, although the ratings are slightly less positive than in the previous reporting period. Germany is also among the top 5 performers as regards the share of renewable energy in fuel consumption for transport.

In Greece, consumer satisfaction with rail, urban and air transport is higher than the EU average. However, drivers in Greece spend a lot of time in traffic jams. The share of women working in transport in Greece is one of the lowest in the EU, only 16%.

The share of women working in the transport sector is quite high in Hungary (26%). However, its score concerning the percentage of EU transport related directives transposed into national law is the lowest in the EU (96%).

Ireland records a perfect 100% score for the transposition of EU transport directives into national law. However, it has the lowest share of electrified railway lines in the EU as well as very few new cars that use alternative fuels.

As regards the use of alternative fuels in new passenger cars, Italy registers the highest number due to the sales of LPG and NG vehicles. Italy has a relatively high number of pending court cases concerning alleged infringements of EU law.

Latvia has very few pending court cases about alleged infringements of EU law in the area of transport and it scores a perfect 100% for transposing EU transport directives into national law. However, it records the highest number of road fatalities per million inhabitants in the EU.

Lithuania tops the EU ranking for the employment share in high growth transport enterprises with a wide margin. However, only very few new cars in Lithuania use alternative fuels.

Luxembourg leads the ranking as regards the electrification of railway lines, with more than 95% of its lines electrified. It receives excellent consumer satisfaction ratings as regards all modes of transport. However, Luxembourg has the lowest share of women employed in transport in the entire EU.

Malta has no rail network, so a number of indicators in the scoreboard do not apply to it. In 2014, Malta recorded the best road safety score in the entire EU. The share of renewable energy in transport fuels and the number of new cars using alternative fuels are low.

The Netherlands receive the highest overall score in this year's scoreboard. The Dutch transport infrastructure is rated very highly, in particular the port and aviation infrastructure is perceived as the best in the EU. The Netherlands also take second place Europe-wide regarding the share of new vehicles using alternative fuels.

Poland has a high share of electrified railways (over 62%), as well as a high share of renewable energies in fuel consumption. Ratings of the quality of transport infrastructure in Poland are more positive than in the previous reporting period.

Portugal has already completed 100% of its TEN-T core network for roads, and the quality of the Portuguese road infrastructure is rated as the highest in the EU. Competition in both the freight and passengers rail market is lower than in other countries.

Romania's market share of rail freight companies competing with the main operator is the highest in Europe (56.8%). However, in the passenger market, the share is lower. Romania has improved its road safety score, but is still among the countries with the highest number of road fatalities.

Slovakia is among the top 5 performers as regards the share of new cars using alternative fuels and the employment in high growth transport enterprises. However, its air transport infrastructure is rated poorly.

Slovenia scores highly for private expenditure in research and development by transport companies. Ithas made progress in improving its road safety score. However, Slovenia is close to the bottom of the ranking as regards the share of women employed in transport, only 16%.

Spain is far advanced as regards the completion of the TEN-T core network. However, it scores among the lowest in the EU regarding the employment share in high growth transport enterprises.

Sweden takes the lead in the share of renewable energy in transport fuel and it is in third place in the share of new cars using alternative fuels. Swedish roads are amongst the safest in the EU. However, Swedish consumers are rather critical in their evaluation of air, rail and urban transport.

The United Kingdom is far advanced in its completion of the TEN-T core network, with the conventional rail network already fully completed. The market share of competitors in passenger rail is the highest across the whole EU (89.7%). The UK is also among the top 5 performers as regards the average time it takes to import and export goods by sea.